Strip Steve may have had a seemingly normal upbringing, growing up in Bordeaux on a steady diet of skateboarding and punk rock. However, his interest in turntables at age 14 unknowingly led into a career that launched in high school when his DJ sets at parties got him noticed. Early EPs sent him around the globe, and he found himself drawn enough to Berlin to transplant himself there when he was just 20.
Now with the backing from Boysnoise Records, Strip Steve is playing sets on several continents, while remixing for outfits like The Faint, Das Glow, and G.L.O.V.E.S among others. After another slew of EPs, we finally get an album from the youngster, Micro Mega, which fuses his love for disco, house, funk, techno, and pop into one cohesive listen where Steve displays a talent beyond his years.
“Micro” leads the album off, a track with a lively beat and a high-energy club feel that even includes organs. If this lively track doesn’t immediately grab you, you probably won’t find any interest in anything here. “Stomp” follows, and shows Steve colliding his French house background with the techno of his new home Berlin and an addictive hook. Although most of the work here is glitchy, repetitive, and radiates late night club vibes, “Astral Projection,” a collaboration with Puro Instinct, is about as close to a ballad as he’s likely to get and the most pop moment here. “Money Trouble Funk” is aptly titled, a very funk-spirited tune with an infectious groove and layered vocals. “One Thing” features Robert Owens on vocals, a sadly tinged house tune, and “Radio Check” is probably the most experimental track, which sounds like old school hip-hop mixed with modern day techno.
Fans of this genre will find Micro Mega an accomplished work in opposites. From calmer tempos to lightning quick stomping, darker ideas to bright flashes, and endless influences amid his bass and synth heavy, Strip Steve proves that he’s in a league with the legends of this genre, despite his youthfulness.
